Carl Veart was impressed with the first hour of Adelaide United’s 2-0 win against Brisbane Roar before his side struggled to control the game.
Adelaide began the match with a real sense of incisiveness, urgency and precision which Veart confessed was the “best football” his side has played this season.
However, their form waned in the final 30 minutes and could not dictate the contest on their terms, unable to retain possession and release pressure off the back-four.
“I think the first-half was excellent,” Veart said in the post-match press conference.
“That was some of our best football this year in the first-half.
“The second-half, the first 10, 15 minutes was good, and we just needed to get that third goal.
“And after that we made it very difficult for ourselves in the last 30 – too spread out, couldn’t keep the ball.
“But that’s credit to Brisbane they really pushed us in the second-half, in the first-half they sort of sat a little bit deeper.
“The second-half they came out and attacked us a little bit more and made it a little more difficult for us.”
Despite United’s shortcomings in the latter half of the second stanza, they still managed to hold off the Roar and keep a clean sheet which Veart believed was significant.
“It was pleasing still that we kept a clean sheet tonight, even though that last 30 minutes was difficult and we weren’t great,” he said.
“But we still managed to keep the clean sheet which was important.”
Alexandar Popović’s auspicious start to life as a professional continues to travel in an upward trajectory after another resolute display in defence.
The 19-year-old centre-back was dominant and reads the game extremely well.
Veart also lauded his qualities when asked to discusses his impressive form.
“Alex I’ve known for a very long time and he just needs game,” he continued.
“The last two or three years he’s had a bad run of injuries, and a bad run of concussions as well.
“So he just needs to get more game time and more minutes in his legs because he’s a quality young defender.
“As I said all the way through his youth career he’s one of the best defenders I’ve seen in youth football, just his defensive work and his organisation, and we’re starting to see that blossom.”
